Film-looping device for motion-picture-processing machines



18 1927 Oct w. D. MARSHALL FILM LOOPING DEVICE. FOR MOTION PICTURE PROCESSING MACHINES Filed Jan. 31, 1925 WaZZerflMarshaZL I INVENTOR,

y my! ATTORNEYS.

7: ,,,I 0 BABE 1 Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER D. MARSHALL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY. OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEIV YORK.

FILM-LOOPING DEVICE FOR MOTION-PICTURE-PROCESSING MACHINES.

Application filed January 31, 1925.

This invention relates to photography, and more particularly to a loop extending device for film treating machines. One object of my invention to provide a film looping device consisting of but few simple parts which may be conveniently made of material which is not corroded by the usual film treatment baths. Another object is to provide a film looping device which may be quickly and easily assembled and disassem bled if necessary from one side of a moving motion picture film hand. Another object is to provide a film looping device in which the parts will be automatically retained in 1 their operative relation by means of gravity.

Another object is to provide a film looper in which the parts will be automatically moved to a position in which they may he disassembled by gravity when the parts are supported by the body men'iber. Still another object of my invention is to provide an :wsemblage of parts in which the shaft which holds the. parts together may he removed. Other objects will appear herein after from the following specification, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the motion picture industry, most of the film is processed by passing a continuously moving film hand through a series of treatment baths. These baths may be for developing. fixing. washing and sometimes tinting r toning the film, and the degree of treatment of the film in the various baths is controlled by the size and number of film loops extending down into the treat ment tanks. The film looping device, which will be hereinafter described, is suitable for use in any of the standard film processing machines of the type above described.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing a portion of a film processing ma chine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a film looping device constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the looper shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line H of Fig.

Fig; t'i is a, section on line li b of Fig.- 9.- and Serial No. 6.141.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail partly in section of another embodiment of my invention. I

In the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 1, a supply roll of film F is shown in a container 1. From this container the film band F is drawn by means of a sprocket 2 after which it passes over a series of rollers 3 which are positioned above a series of tanks. 4. These tanks may stand on a suitable base A sprocket 6 may be provided for drawing the film band from the last, tank. In most machines there are a large number of tanks, only a few of which are shown in this view. The film hand is extended into a series of loops into the tanks 4 by means of loop ing devices 10. Additional loops may be drawn out by placing these looping devices between a pair of rollers 3 and varying the speed of the driving sprockets relative to each other in the usual manner to permit. an additional length of film to be drawn down into the tanks.

Coming now to my invention, the looping device consists of a body member 10 which is preferably of substantial weight, and from which arms 11 extend upwardly. These arms are apertured at 12, and guideways 13 extend upwardly from the apertures 12. and terminate in rounded bearing portions 14. The apertures 12 are of sufficient diameter for a shaft 15 to slide freely therethrough when the shaft has been moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 to that shown in dotted and dashed lines. The ends of the shaft and the uideways 13 form cooperating parts which permit the shaft to slide up through the guideways and to rest against the bearing 14.

The film contacting member is preferably in the form of a roller 17 having a central aperture 16 of sufficient diameter to receive the shaft 15. This roller is of the usual construction having flanges 18 adapted to guide a film band F, so that only the edges f of the film will rest upon the seats 19 of the roller, and the remainder of the film will not contact with the roller due to the relieved central portion 20. This prevents the surface of the roller from contacting with the picture area of the film.

Thisfilm looping device may be readily assembled upon a film band in the {allowing mainnerz The roller 17 is pl ced upon the film band F, as for instanc t etween' a pair of rollers 3. The body member 10 is then placed beneath the film band while the roller is held against movement, and is moved upwardly until the arms 11 embrace the sides of the roller, and the apertures 16 and 12 are in alignment. The shaft 15 is then pushed through an arm 11 and apertures 16, and when moved completely into position the ends of the shaft and the guideways cooperate to permit the parts of the looper to be held in operative position by means of gravity. that is. the weight of the body member 10 retains the ends of the shaft 15 in the bearings 14 when the weight is supported by the roller. The downward movement of the roller is limited of course by means of the film band. The operations of assembling may be performed much more quickly than the description of these opera tions would indicate.

The film looping device can also be very quickly disassembled. Vhen the body member 10 is moved towards the roller. the roller and shaft 15 drop by gravity into an inoperative position. in which the shaft is in alignment with aperture 12. In this position it is only necessary to tilt the body member 10 at an angle to cause the shaft 15 to slide through an aperture 12. This film looper can therefore be readily removed without cutting the moving film band.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification of my film looper. in which the body member 10 is provided with upwardly extending arms 11 and 11". Arm 11' is similar to the arms 11. above described. It is provided with a central aperture 12. a guideway 13'. and an upper bearing member 14'. A shaft 15 may slide freely through the aperture. Arm 11" differs from arm 11 in that it contains no aperture. The guideway 12" terminates at the top in the bearing; 14". and at the bottom in a similar rounded end 24. The guideway 13" has a continuous Wall 23. The operation of this embodiment of my invention is as follows: The roller 17 is placed between the arms ll and 11" with the aperture 16 in alignment with aperture 12. The body member may be held at an angle to the vertical. and shaft 16 may slide through aperture 12 until one end strikes the wall 23. The operator may then cause the shaft to slide up through the guideway 13"13". by releasing the weight of the body member so as to allow it. to be suspended from the roller. In disa sembling the operation is the same as before. except of course the shaft 15 must be removed through arm 11.

Since the three parts of this film looping device are of relatively simple structure so that they may be moulded, they may be made of any suitable material which is not corroded by the various acid and alkaline treatment baths. I have found that hard rubber and glass are suitable materials, although I do not limit myself to any particular material. It is obvious that my roller is suitable for any machine in which mate rial is to be drawn out into loops, and is particularly suitable where such strip material ii to be treated in solutions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a film looping device, the combination with a base. of arms extending up from the base including grooves on the insides thereof. a shaft adapted to slide in the grooves and to be supported therein. there being an aperture in one arm leading to a groove. whereby the shaft may be removed from the grooves axially through the aperture.

2. In a film looping device. the combination with a base. of arms extending up from the base having guideways formed therein parallel to the s des of the arms. a shaft adapted to slide in the guideways. an arm having an aperture leading to a. guideway, said shaft being adapted to enter the guideways through the aperture.

3. In a film looping device. the combination with a base. of arms extending upwardly therefrom provided with a pair of facing grooved guidcways. there being an aperture through a grooved guidewav. a shaft adapted to pass through the aperture and to he guided by the guideways and a roller adapted to be revolubly supported upon the shaft.

4. In a film looping device. the combination with a. base. of arm extending upwardly therefrom provided with a pair of facing grooved guideways. a shaft adapted to be movablv mounted in the guideways. a

grooved guidewav having an aperture there in of greater diameter than the diameter of the shaft through which the shaft may pass.

5. In a film looping device, the combination with a base. of arms extending up wardly therefrom having grooved guideways formed in the arms in which a shaft may be confined. a shaft adapted to move in the guideway and adapted to support a film roller. at least one guideway having an aperture of greater diameter than the shaft. the sole means for entering said shaft into said guideways to support the film roller being through said aperture.

Signed at Rochester. New York. this 23rd day of January, 1925.

IVALTER D. MARSHALL. 

